Power assist barge for ocean service

ABSTRACT

A barge having fore and aft propellers respectively mounted in longitudinal tunnels has bottom intake and discharge respectively forward of their associated propellers and has combination intake and discharge ports at the outboard ends of said longitudinal tunnels. The respective end ports are guarded against entry of debris by a plurality of vertical vanes movably mounted to swing around their respective vertical axes for additional steering purposes. Respective transverse tunnels having combination intake and discharge side ports at their outer ends and joining the respective longitudinal tunnels at their inner ends are located forward of the aft propeller and aft of the forward propeller. Side ports are protected by grills to prevent entry of debris. Vertically installed valves are mounted in the respective tunnels adjacent the respective propellers for opening and closing the tunnels individually. Horizontally installed valves are mounted in the bottom intake ports for similar purposes. Extendable fins are recessed into the fore and aft sides of each side port, the forward side fins being extendable slanting aft and the after side fins forward for directing the flow therefrom. The placing of the bottom ports forward of their associated propellers enables the barge to lift and dig itself free if it should ever run aground. The extendable fin mounted adjacent the side ports assist in sterring the barge. The propellers are driven by engines that can also be remotely controlled. A radio antenna can receive control signals and electronically controlled machinery can be adapted to actuate all movable parts.

United States Patent Moss [54] POWER ASSIST BARGE FOR OCEAN SERVICE Robert D. Mus, 524 Lake St., Metairie, La. 70004 [22] Filed: Jan. 25, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 109,343

[ 72] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Andrew H. Farrell Attorney-James B. Lake, Jr.

[ ABSTRACT A barge having fore and aft propellers respectively mounted in longitudinal tunnels has bottom intake and discharge respec- 11s1 3,677,215 1451 July 18,1972

tively forward of their mociated propellers and has combination intake and discharge ports at the outboard emk of said longitudinal tunnels. The respective end ports are guarded against entry of debris by a plurality of vertical vanes movably mounted to swing around their respective vertical axes for additional steering purposes. Respective transverse tunnels having combination intake and discharge side ports at their outer ends and joining the respective longitudinal tunnels at their inner ends are located forward of the all propeller and art of the forward propeller. Side ports are protected by grills to prevent entry of debris. Vertically installed valves are mounted in the respective tunnels adjacent the respective propellers for opening and closing the tunnels individually. Horizontally installed valves are mounted in the bottom intake ports for similar purposes. Extendable fins are recessed into the fore and aft sides of each side port, the forward side fins being extendable slanting aft and the after side fins forward for directing the flow therefrom. The placing of the bottom ports forward of their associated propellers enables the barge to lift and dig itself free if it should ever run aground. The extendable fin mounted adjacent the side ports assist in sterring the barge. The propellers are driven by engines that can also be remotely controlled. A radio antenna can receive control signals and electronically controlled machinery can be adapted to actuate all movable parts.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

INVENTOR. ROBERT D. MOSS ATTORNEY Patented July 18, 1972 2 Sheets-$heet :1

wn O N m fwm V T Q T N @E O R POWER ASSIST BARGE FOR OCEAN SERVICE The invention relates to barges for ocean towing and more particularly for barges having their own limited means for propulsion and direction control that can be remotely actuated.

In ocean towing presently all propulsion and control means are concentrated in a towing tug, with little or none being incorporated in the barge or barges being towed.

It is an object of the invention to provide for each barge both fore and aft limited propulsion means for increasing the speed of the tow.

Another object of the invention is to provide jet propulsion in which the jets are directional to assist in the directional control of the barge.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for lifting and digging the barge back afloat if it should run aground.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for accentuating the effect of the dircetional jet propulsion means in controlling the movements of the barge.

Other objects and a more complete understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description, claims and drawings in which:

FIG. I is a side elevational view of a barge partially cutaway below the waterline to show the vertical arrangement of the invention installation, and

FIG. 2 is a plan view taken along section lines 22 of FIG. 1 showing the horizontal arrangement of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the fore and after propellers l and [2 are respectively mounted for rotation in longitudinal tunnels I4 and 16 of the ocean going barge 18. Engines 20 and 22 respectively drive the fore and aft propellers to produce jet streams of water in the tunnels moving in the direction in accordance with the direction of rotation of the propellers and their respective twists. Referring to FIG. 2, the invention is disclosed as having a single propeller forward and two propellers aft, but it should be understood that any combination of one or two propellers forward or aft and relatively arranged as illustrated for both position and number can be used.

The forward longitudinal tunnel l0 defines, adjacent its inboard end, forward bottom port 24, and at its outboard end forward end port 26. The after tunnels I6 similarly define the common after bottom port 28 and after ends ports 30. It should be noticed that bottom ports 24 and 28 are positioned forward of their respective propellers I0 and 12. Forward transverse tunnels 32 and 34 at their respective inboard ends join center tunnel l4 aft of both bottom port 24 and propeller l0, and define forward outboard side ports 36 and 38 on the respective bow quarters. After transverse tunnels 40 and 42 join their respective longitudinal tunnels 16 at their inboard ends and define at their outboard ends after outboard side ports 44 and 46 on respective stern quarters. The forward side ports 36 and 38 are aft of forward propeller l0 and forward of bottom port M. The after side ports 44 and 46 are forward of propellers l2 and aft of bottom port 28.

The forward and after end ports 26 and 30 have pluralities of vertical vanes 48 movably mounted therein to swing about their respective vertical axes for the double purpose of preventing debris from entering the longitudinal tunnels l4 and I6 and to assist in steering the barge. Grills 50 are mounted in the side ports 36, 38, 44 and 46 to prevent debris from entering the transverse tunnels 32, 34, 40 and 42.

All tunnels can be closed by side and end valves 52 and bottom valves 54, all of which are actuated by individual power activators 56 that are preferably electrically energized and controlled to direct the jet stream in or out of any port or combination thereof. Extendable fins 58 are recessed adjacent the fore and aft side ports 36, 38, 44 and 46 for extending outwardly into a jet stream issuing therefrom to accentuate the action thereof with respect to the barge. Power actuators 56 are also mounted adjacent each fin 58 to extend or retract each fin as desired.

In operation, the assist propulsion may be accomplished by the after propellers and engines by drawing in water through the bottom port 28 and after side ports 44 and 46 and ejecting it through the after end port 30. Greater speed may be made by also using the forward engine 20 and forward propeller 10 to draw water in through end port 26 and eject it out side ports 36 and 38. In turning a small change in direction can be made by turning the vertical vanes 48 in after port 30 to swing the stern of the barge in the opposite direction. This effect can be increased by turning the forward vertical vanes 48 to swing the bow in the direction of turning. A still further increase in thrning rate can be made by closing one set of diagonally positioned fore and aft valves 52 and jetting water out of the open tunnels that in the turn will have the open set of valves 52 on the forward side port on the outside of the turn and the after side port on the inside of the turn. The effects of all the preceeding power assists can be augmented or reduced in accordance with changes in the speed of the engine and propeller. The extension of the after fins on the fore and aft open side ports will also increase the rate of turning.

In running in shallow water the forward bottom port should always be kept closed. If the barge should run aground, the forward bottom port should then be opened, the valve in the forward longitudinal tunnel l4 closed and the forward engine 20 and propeller l0 driven in rotation to draw water trough the forward side ports 36 and 38 into the transverse tunnels 32 and 34 and the forward longitudinal tunnel and out the forward bottom port 24. Simultaneously, the after bottom port is opened if it has been closed and the after transverse valves 52 in the after transverse tunnels 40 and 42 closed. The after engines 22 are reversed to drive the after propeller I2 to draw water into the after end ports 30 and force it out the after bottom port 28. The jet stream issuing out of the bottom ports in a downward and forward direction tend to raise the barge and move it aft, at the same time washing away the sea bottom on which the barge is grounded and carrying it forward. The slight raising of the barge and deepening of the sea bottom is usually sufficient to enable the barge to back free. If the barge remains aground the stern may be urged from side to side by alternately closing one after valve in the after longitudinal tunnel l6 and opening the other, at the same time swinging the after vanes 48 on the after end ports 30 outward with respect to the after tunnel with the open valve. The combined action of backing and swinging the stern should work the barge into deep water.

The controls of the engines, all valves, vanes and fins can be electronically automated and a control consol installed in the towing tug and a receiving antenna mounted on the barge. Full control of the power assist barge then resides in the tug and the barge can be left unmanned during a voyage.

What is claimed is:

I. In an ocean going barge, forward and aft longitudinal tunnels each having oppositely disposed inboard and outboard ends, said outboard ends terminating in end ports and said inboard ends terminating in bottom ports; fore and aft transverse tunnels having oppositely disposed inboard and outboard ends, said outboard ends terminating in side ports and said inboard ends respectively joining their associated longitudinal tunnels adjacent their respective inboard ends; fore and aft propellers mounted respectively in said longitudinal tunnels for drawing in water in any of the respectively associated ports and discharging said water out of any other associated ports than it was drawn in from; engines mounted amidships in said barge for respectively driving said propellers in any combination of direction of rotation; valves operatively installed in each of said bottom ports and in said tunnels respectively adjacent each said associated propeller for opening and closing said tunnels in any combination with each other; vertical vanes turnably mounted by their vertical axes in each of said end ports for the dual purposes of keeping debris out of the tunnels and to assist in steering the barge; extendable fins recessed adjacent each side port of directing the flow of water in a horizontal plane into and out of said ports; and power means mounted adjacent said vanes and fins for turning said vanes and extending said fins to assist in controlling said barge.

2. ln an ocean going barge as described in claim 1 wherein said valves are butterfly type in said tunnels and gate valves in said bottom ports.

3. Valves as described in claim 2 wherein power means are mounted adjacent each said valve and operatively connected therewith for opening and closing each said valve independently.

4. The method of power assist operation of a barge comprising the steps: providing cross-connected longitudinal and transverse tunnels at each end of said barge said tunnels interconnecting inboard and terminating in outboard ports spaced ninety degrees apart at each of said barge ends; driving water in jet streams in and out of said outboard ports and through said tunnels with propellers placed at said tunnels intersections for that purpose; selectively closing and opening said tunnels with valves placed therein for the purpose of directing said jet streams out of said ports generally in a direction opposite to the direction of desired effect on the barge; accentuating the effect of said jet streams on the barge with end vanes and side fins extending into said jet streams.

5. The method of power assist operation of a barge as described in claim 4 wherein the steering of said barge in tow is assisted by the following cumulative steps: swinging said end vanes in the direction of turn; closing said transverse tunnels, facing in the direction of motion, forward on the side to which it is desired to turn and aft on the opposite side; and extending said side fins in opposite configuration to the closing of said valves, into said jet streams 

1. In an ocean going barge, forward and aft longitudinal tunnels each having oppositely disposed inboard and outboard ends, said outboard ends terminating in end ports and said inboard ends terminating in bottom ports; fore and aft transverse tunnels having oppositely disposed inboard and outboard ends, said outboard ends terminating in side ports and said inboard ends respectively joining their associated longitudinal tunnels adjacent their respective inboard ends; fore and aft propellers mounted respectively in said longitudinal tunnels for drawing in water in any of the respectively associated ports and discharging said water out of any other associated ports than it was drawn in from; engines mounted amidships in said barge for respectively driving said propellers in any combination of direction of rotation; valves operatively installed in each of said bottom ports and in said tunnels respectively adjacent each said associated propeller for opening and closing said tunnels in any combination with each other; vertical vanes turnably mounted by their vertical axes in each of said end ports for the dual purposes of keeping debris out of the tunnels and to assist in steering the barge; extendable fins recessed adjacent each side port of directing the flow of water in a horizontal plane into and out of said ports; and power means mounted adjacent said vanes and fins for turning said vanes and extending said fins to assist in controlling said barge.
 2. In an ocean going barge as described in claim 1 wherein said valves are butterfly type in said tunnels and gate valves in said bottom ports.
 3. Valves as described in claim 2 wherein power means are mounted adjacent each said valve and operatively connected therewith for opening and closing each said valve independently.
 4. The method of power assist operation of a barge comprising the steps: providing cross-connected longitudinal and transverse tunnels at each end of said barge said tunnels interconnecting inboard and terminating in outboard ports spaced ninety degrees apart at each of said barge ends; driving water in jet streams in and out of said outboard ports and through said tunnels with propellers placed at said tunnels'' intersections for that purpose; selectively closing and opening said tunnels with valves placed therein for the purpose of directing said jet streams out of said ports generally in a direction opposite to the direction of desired effect on the barge; accentuating the effect of said jet streams on the barge with end vanes and side fins extending into said jet streams.
 5. The method of power assist operation of a barge as described in claim 4 wherein the steering of said barge in tow is assisted by the following cumulative steps: swinging said end vanes in the direction of turn; closing said transverse tunnels, facing in the direction of motion, forward on the side to which it is desired to turn and aft on the opposite side; and extending said side fins, in opposite configuration to the closing of said valves, into said jet streams. 